Tag: Japan

So…let me explain.

This all started as good-natured ribbing between me and Joy. I was just cracking jokes. However, the more she talked about how good she was with a sword, the more I wanted to test that theory. I’m an engineer, after all. Not to mention this sort of thing happened all the time when a new recruit walked onto base when I was in the Air Force. That’s why I unleashed the Dorats on her. If they scared her, I knew she lacked the courage of a swordfighter. I could’ve tried something a bit more…aggressive (I considered a Meganuron), but I knew that would be too dangerous. In retrospect, something that cute was probably bound to fail as a test of mettle. Obviously, we need to feed those flying gremlins radiation after midnight to unlock their killer instincts.

As for quarantining their dogs…okay, I admit I took advantage of an Island rule to annoy Joy. Her slapping me with a glove and challenging me to a duel was unexpected. Although, not nearly as unexpected as getting my butt kicked by Daimajin. If I believed in karma, I’d say I had it coming. I spent a good three days recovering in the infirmary. The soreness only subsided yesterday. I get a little nervous walking through Serizawa Memorial Park. I swear that statue is watching me. Now I know how Whovians feel around angel statutes.

Anyway, I do have some notes from the episode. I had to listen to the second half after it was published last week since I wasn’t there. It’s the usual stuff, as you’ll see.

My Notes:

• It’s “Tsuruchiki,” Nathan. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a tongue twister name.
• Irony would be a great source of renewable energy. Almost as good as plugging Marchand into one of my mechas. He’s practically a human dynamo.
• Yes, I am proud of my haircut, Marchand, but no, I won’t exchange shampoo recommendations with Joy.
• It was the Sengoku period, Nathan. After only a few episodes, that info slipped out of your big head. 😛
• (I confess I got so frustrated with Joy, I broke several pencils points and stopped writing about her).
• Tamashii is a Japanese toy company.
• Midi-chlorians don’t exist. 😛
• Nathan discussed bon festivals briefly for episode 9, which was on The Mysterians. (I liked that one).
• No, Nathan, it was Emperor Hirohito. Akihito was his son (Emperor Heisei). If only I was there to correct you on that. I lived under Emperor Showa for a while, so I know.

Now for Nathan’s leftover notes. He’s gotten better about remembering that every episode isn’t a doctoral thesis. 😛

The Film

• Daimjain is similar to the Hebrew legend of the golem.
• This film is unique in the trilogy in that it stars children. It’s kaiju Stranger Things (or Stand by Me). It’s also like a traditional fantasy story because it’s a journey. They meet strange people (old lady), cross rivers, climb mountains. The mochi are like the elvish bread. (Reminds me of my childhood. –Jimmy)
• I don’t get the sandal flip for checking on his brother. (Like a coin flip, maybe? I had friends at the Japanese school I attended for a while who did it. What’s weird is a few of my Japanese friends did it while building Gohten. Weird. –Jimmy)
• Sugi is the least impressive in terms of acting.
• The Daimajin statue appears 27 minutes in (87 minute movie).
• The boys ask Daimajin’s forgiveness for entering his mountain. They say they just want to save their dads. He sends his hawk and a small dust storm as a reply, which seems to be affirmatory.
• No explanation for why this statue is in the middle of nowhere on this mountain.
• The bad guys use guns again.
• “Heightened sense of smell.” Okay, Wolverine.
• Sugi has a dream where he’s running on the mountain and a hawk sort of attacks him. He falls and cries out for his father.
• Broken posts look like crosses.
• The villains show no respect to Daimjain when they step on his mountain.
• Tsuruchiki buries it in snow and prays over it.
• Daimajin’s shoulder pads still shake.
• He smashes through a cliff like he did the wall in previous film. (Must be made of paper. –Jimmy)
• During the finale it becomes quite apparent that the actors are wearing skull caps.
• Wait…he stomps on the cave but his hand reaches in on impact?
• How appropriate that Daimjain punishes evildoers in Hell’s Valley.
• When Sugi calls to Daimajin at the end, is he hoping he will resurrect Kinta?
• This film actually has credits! Probably because it didn’t have any at the start. Very modern. Ahead of its time.

The Toku Topic: Kami

• Sources: Encyclopedia of Shinto, “Kami: The Evolution of Japan’s Native Gods” by Hashizume Daisaburō, “Meet the Gods: 13 Japanese Kami” by John Spacey, https://www.ancient.eu/Kami/, “Kami” (Wikipedia), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vai%C5%9Brava%E1%B9%87a
• It’s best to think of “God” and kami as three different concepts.
  • “The written Japanese form, 神, is influenced by the Chinese meaning of the character. Common words in both languages using this character, such as 精神 (pronounced seishin in Japanese), meaning “spirit” or “mind,” and 神経 (shinkei), meaning “nerves,” are related to human mental qualities. Pronounced shen in Chinese, the character 神 carries some divine attributes, but they are of a decidedly low rank and far below those of the highest power in Chinese theology, termed 天 (tian) or 上帝 (shangdi) in Chinese.”
•  “Kami were believed to possess human-like predilections in other ways as well, enjoying music, dance, and poetry, and disdaining behavior disruptive of natural or social order, together with pollutions (kegare) such as filth, blood, and death.”
• “Heavenly bodies further include the sun, moon, and planets, while deified meteorological phenomena would include things like the kami of wind (kaze no kami), and kami of thunder (raijin). Kami related to geological formations include kami of earth (jigami or jinushigami); kami of mountains; kami of mountain passes; kami of thickets, forests, and groves; kami of rocks and boulders; kami of the sea (umi no kami); kami of rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes; kami of islands; and so forth.
• “So called “culture kami” can be broadly divided into the three categories (1) ‘community kami,’ namely those worshiped by particularistic social groups; (2) ‘functional kami,’ which are related to specific aspects or occupations in human life; and (3) ‘human kami,’ namely historical human beings treated as kami.
  Community kami may include yashikigami (kami of dwellings) buraku kami (kami of geographical communities); familial kami (tutelaries of consanguineous families); dōzokushin (kinship group tutelaries); and dōsojin and sai no kami (kami which stand at the entryways or borders of villages and protect residents from the intrusion of baneful outside forces).”
• Speaking of which: “While studying to achieve enlightenment, Amida had vowed that he would strive to have all living things be reborn in this realm, which he reached upon becoming a Buddha. Rebirth in the superior realm of the Western Paradise meant being just one step from Buddhahood and was considered extremely important. The idea that people could become Buddhas after death spread through the doctrine that death could lead to the pure land, which in turn was a stage on the way to Buddhahood.”
• “The new Shintō movement of Hirata Atsutane (1776–1843) triggered a great change in the way Japanese people thought about kami from the waning years of the Tokugawa shogunate through the early Meiji era (1868–1912). Hirata professed to be a disciple of Motoori, and his study of Shintō led him to proclaim that when people died, they did not become Buddhas or go to Yomi, the land of the dead, but instead became spirits (rei). In particular, those who died for Japan suffered no defilement and became eirei, “glorious spirits,” who would protect future generations. The revolutionary idea that people became spirits after death, maintaining their individuality throughout eternity, leads some to think Hirata had studied the Christian concept of the soul by secretly reading a Chinese translation of the Bible (then banned in Japan).” This paved the way for state Shinto. It also meant that the dead could be enshrined, which led to the construction of the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in 1869.

That does it for today.

Join us next week to hear our Halloween special when Nathan was joined by Kaiju Weekly co-host (and raging Kamen Rider fan) Travis Alexander for an extended mini-analysis to discuss Frankenstein Conquers the World (or as we like to call it here on the Island, “Frankie v. Barry”). (#Justice4Baragon)

Then we cover our first Ray Harryhausen film on the show with Nathan’s friend and returning Tourist Nick Hayden with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need two aspirin and a nap. Marchand is busy reminding me of my comeuppance.

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